Question
It was only until recently that I realized my finger joints are much larger than those of a normal person. I rarely paid attention to them before, but lately, I’ve noticed that my finger joints and ankles are extremely swollen, accompanied by pain, and sometimes they feel very stiff. After a thorough check-up at the hospital, I found out I have osteochondrosis dissecans. I’ve been taking medication for a few days and the situation has slightly improved. I’m not sure how this will affect my future survival. What are the dangers of osteochondrosis dissecans?
Answer
Osteochondrosis dissecans is a localized bone disease that recurs in children, characterized by the atrophy and suppuration of articular cartilage, epiphyseal cartilage, and epiphyseal plates, also known as ‘willow branch disease’. In our country, it is mainly distributed in a narrow strip of high-altitude regions from Northeast to Tibet. The cause of the disease is still not entirely clear. In the areas where the disease is prevalent, the low selenium content in soil, grains, and humans is very significantly negatively correlated with the disease. Early symptoms include (1) joint pain, which is often strange and symmetrical, usually occurring first in active finger joints and weight-bearing knees and ankles. Patients experience swelling, pain, or ‘bone joint pain’. (2) Finger joint flexion, specifically the second, third, and fourth fingers bending towards the palm.